Israel foiled alleged plot to blow up plane from Sydney

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has claimed intelligence provided by his country foiled an alleged plot by the Islamic State group to blow up a plane from Sydney using a device smuggled inside a meat mincer.

“The Israeli intelligence services thwarted the downing of an Australian plane, an unimaginable slaughter,” the Israeli leader told an American Jewish conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

Last year two brothers were arrested in Sydney – Khaled Khayat and Mahmoud Khayat – and charged with plotting to bring down an Etihad Airways passenger jet destined to fly to Abu Dhabi from Sydney.

They were accused of trying to smuggle an improvised device inside a meat mincer onto a plane due to leave Sydney on 15 July, but the attempt was aborted before they reached security.